Envelope



May 26,1942. H. G. r--RICK 2,284,386

" l ENELOPE 'Filed Feb. 2o, 193s v Y lv 16 Patented May 26, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFrcE ENVELOPE Henry G. Frick, Palermo, Italy Application February 20, 1939, Serial No. 257,518

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to a new and improved envelope and more particularly to a means for opening the same.

An important object of the invention is to provide a simple, convenient, and eiective means of opening sealed envelopes with an opening means comprising a cutting member in the form of a thread or string threaded back and forth through perforations in the envelope edge to be s 1 A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a thread sewed or otherwise secured along a fold line of the envelope whereby the sealing iiap is severed in a manner to form cut out portions permitting withdrawal of the contents of the envelope.

A still further object is to disposed a thread or string along the fold line of an envelope in a manner to prevent the thread or string being removed without slitting the envelope.

The invention will be fully and comprehensively understood from a consideration of the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing which forms a part of the application.

l In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view illustrating the new and improved envelope in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a view of the envelope disclosed in Figure 1 with the folding edge perforated and opened by the novel opening means.

Figure 3 is an elevational view of a modified form of the invention.

Figure 4 is an elevatonal view .of a still further modified form of the invention, and

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view taken substantially on line 5--5 of Figure 4..

Referring to the drawing for a more detailed description thereof wherein like parts. are designated by similar reference characters in the several views, the envelope indicated generally by the reference numeral I includes a back portion II and gummed iiap I2, the fold line I3 being formed by placing the iiap I2 over the envelope in sealed relation.

A string, cord or the like I4 is stitched or otherwise secured along the fold line I3 of the envelope whereby a double seam is formed presenting the formation illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawing. It will be noted that the thread I4 extends from the side I of the envelope toward the side I6 to`form 'the pair of semicircular loops I'l and I8, respectively. The thread is then brought back to the side I5 so'that both ends of the thread are exposed on the one side. To open the sealed envelope, the free ends Il oi the thread Il are engaged and. pulling the same toward the edge I 6 of the envelope will perforate the same whereby the central portion 20 of the envelope is cut out to permit readily removing the contents there;

` along the transverse edge thereof and one end of the thread is brought back and will remain embedded within the envelope. In other words, one end only of the thread is exposed thus preventing the withdi'awal of the thread without opening the envelope.

The modified form of the invention disclosed in Figures 4 and 5 of the drawing comprises stitching or otherwise securing the thread 22 along the fold edge of the envelope and prior to reaching the edge 23, the thread will be reversed and brought back to the starting point thus presenting both ends of the. thread at the one point.v This is essentially the same as the form disclosed in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing with the exception that the looped 4portion has been omitted. By this arrangement it will be exceptionally diliicult-to .remove the thread 22 without slitting the -envelope in the manner above indicated.

Also it will be understood, of course, by those skilled in the art that variations in the hereinabove described device involving the substitution of substantial equivalents for the devices described are intended to be comprehended within the spirit of the present invention and that the invention is capable of extended application and is not confined to the exact showing of the drawing nor to the precise construction described and, therefore, such changes and modifications may be made therein as do not affect the spirit of the invention nor exceed the scope thereof as ex-v pressed in the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

In combination, an envelope having an integrally-formed main portion, side and end aps, a thread extending along an edge of said envelope, said thread being woven through a line of perforations provided in said edge in a manner to form opposed send-circular shaped loop portions above said edge in a side iiap and below said cdge in said main portion and substantially centrally thereof, whereby pulling said thread along the edge forms a central cut-out portion on botl. sides of said edge to open the envelope and facilitate withdrawing the contents thereof.

HENRY G. FRICK. 

